BOONTON — With beer mugs on their heads and in their hands, Natalie Pisarcik and Amanda D’Amato began making the rounds of the vendors ready to pour some of their finest brews for them at the Boonton Rock & Brew Festival.

“We’re here to drink beer and we’re happy to do it here in Boonton,” Pisarcik said. “We’re here to support Boonton.”

Natalie Pisarcik and Amanda D'Amato, both of Boonton.(Photo11: Leslie Ruse/Staff)

The Boonton residents, sporting T-shirts adorned with beer mugs that said, “Jugs and Suds” Beerfest 2013, usually attend beer fests with a large group of friends.

“We make our own costumes for each event but our favorites are the New Jersey ones,” D’Amato said. “Definitely New Jersey beers.”

Brew Experience and Boonton Main Street Inc. hosted the 2nd Boonton Rock & Brew Festival on Saturday at Canalside Park in Boonton. More than 50 local and national craft beer vendors were on hand along with food merchants from local restaurants.

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Shawn Laidlaw, formerly of Parsippany does the beanbag toss during the 2nd Annual Boonton Main Street Rock & Brew Festival on Saturday, June 2, 2018.(Photo11: Jim Anness/Special to NorthJersey.com)

“I ordered this great day. We’re very happy we started this festival. This is an event that Boonton needed and we’re happy to provide it for everyone,” said Chris Manzella, Executive Director of Boonton Main Street, Inc.

“The wonderful part is people who haven’t been here before have the chance to come and learn about Boonton. It’s a great way to put it on the map. I always say, we’re the best-kept secret in New Jersey.”

More than 600 tickets had already been sold with the Festival’s organizers expecting close to a thousand by the end of the day.

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Local Brewer Brandon Galluppi, from Dover, pours a sample of his microbrew 2nd Act during the 2nd Annual Boonton Main Street Rock & Brew Festival held at Canalside Park on Saturday, June 2 2018.(Photo11: Jim Anness/Special to NorthJersey.com)

“This is a great way to reach out to the community and it’s a great opportunity for us to discover new breweries in the area,” said Danny O’Neill of Man Skirt Brewing in Hackettstown. Wearing a man skirt, or kilt, O’Neill poured three of his beers, PleaTed WheaT, Town Helles and Better Than Pants, for a long line of thirsty patrons. “It’s a very good time to be a beer drinker. Lots of good stuff out there.”

Some New Jersey Brewery stickers stuck onto a portable bar during the 2nd Annual Boonton Main Street Rock & Brew Festival on Saturday, June 2 2018.(Photo11: Jim Anness/Special to NorthJersey.com)

Approaching a stand, most of the beer lovers asked what type of beer they could sample, many times asking how it was made and from what. Some brewers added fruit like blackberry, while others like Moonlight Meadery of Londonderry, New Hampshire, offered samples of a beer with 11% alcohol.

Beers from farther points in New Jersey -- River Horse (Ewing), Flying Fish (Somerdale) and Demented Brewing (Middlesex) and Victory Brewing from nearby Pennsylvania, were also very popular.

Twelve of Travis Garcia’s family and friends decided he should celebrate his birthday with plenty of beer, music and their company.

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Steven Punto of Parsippany, center, reacts after Kevin Kieran of Randolph pulls the final block that collapsed the pile during the 2nd Annual Boonton Main Street Rock & Brew Festival on Saturday, June 2 2018. Jersey Club Sports provided games like this for the festival(Photo11: Jim Anness/Special to NorthJersey.com)

“This was a complete surprise. My mom and my wife came last year and said they have to go back again,” said Garcia, a Morristown resident. “This is a perfect way to enjoy some beers. I’m happy. This is fun.”

Six area bands provided non-stop live entertainment starting off with an acoustic set from Dan Baldan. Hidden Cabins, Rothenbeck and the Adventuring Party, Hollow Point, Acoustic Brew and Cinema Star kept folks rocking until the festival closed.

Besides the Rock & Brew Craft Beer Festival, they host monthly First Friday Late Nights, a car show and the Boonton Farmer’s Market, which starts next Saturday at 8:30 a.m. The market runs through November in the Upper Plane Street Lot. For more information, visit www.BoontonMainStreet.org.

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Hidden Cabins was among the musical acts that performed during the 2nd Annual Boonton Main Street Rock & Brew Festival on Saturday, June 2 2018.(Photo11: Jim Anness/Special to NorthJersey.com)